Kuwaiti harassment forces return of Sri Lanka domestic workers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2011, 03:07 GMT]A total of 130 domestic workers who went to Kuwait for employment will be brought back to Sri Lanka after they complained of harassment from their employers and their situation was determined as unsafe, according to State run Sinhala daily Dinamina. The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau is facilitating the housemaids' safe return to Sri Lanka by Friday.

Most of these workers have complained that they have not been paid the salary promised or they were subjected to various forms of harassment, including torture, in the hands of their employers.

The affected domestic workers are currently being housed at the safe house of the Sri Lanka embassy on a temprorary basis until they are sent back to Sri lanka.

Another 400 domestic workers who also complained of harassment are being housed in the safe house, and steps are taken to bring them back to Sri Lanka as well, Dinamina added.